It was Ember's first time alone in Dylan's room, and she couldn't help but observe every little detail. The room was painted in dark, moody shades of grey, black, and gold accents. The bed was made with sleek black sheets, and the main wall behind it had a large circle of black cushioning with golden strips in a geometric pattern that covered half the wall. It was striking yet elegant.
Two tall windows stretched from the floor to the ceiling on another wall, flanked by a small sofa.. Against the wall by the windows, Ember noticed a black, semi-transparent glass door, leading to what seemed like a walk-in closet. She could see a large mirror inside, and beyond that, another door, but she couldn't make out what was beyond it.
Curiosity bubbled up inside her, and despite her injured ankle, she decided to investigate. Hobbling on one leg—more hopping than walking—Ember moved toward the closet. Her eyes scanned Dylan's clothes, surprised to find that, despite the room's black décor, there wasn't a single black shirt in sight. So, he likes black, just not in his clothes, she thought with amusement.
She was just about to peek inside the mysterious door when—creak!—she heard footsteps. Panicking, Ember tried to hurry back to the bed, making exaggerated jumps to cover the distance. But in her haste, she lost her balance and tumbled onto the bed, landing awkwardly.
Dylan entered the room just in time to see her sprawled across the bed. "What are you doing?" he asked, raising an eyebrow in amusement.
Ember struggled to sit up but found her body wasn't cooperating. Dylan approached, standing over her with a mischievous grin on his face. "Hahahaha!" His laughter filled the room.
"Hey! Help me!" Ember protested, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
Still laughing, Dylan helped her sit up, though he couldn't contain his amusement. "What were you doing?" he asked, placing his hand over his mouth, trying to stifle his laughter, though another "Ha ha ha!" escaped.
"Can you stop laughing?" Ember muttered, pouting slightly.
"Okay, okay," Dylan said, holding up his hands in mock surrender, though his eyes still danced with humor.
Ember tried to play it cool. "I was just... a little tired, so I thought I'd lay down... but, you can see, my body wasn't helping much." She looked away, embarrassed, while he laughed again.
"If you need my help, you can just call me," Dylan said, his tone shifting to a more serious one. "Why are you pushing yourself?"
A blush crept across Ember's cheeks at the way he was looking at her. She lowered her head. "I know, but... it's just a small thing."
"It's a small thing, yes," Dylan agreed, his voice softening, "but right now, you can't do it alone. So let me help you."
Their eyes met, and Ember managed a small, shy smile. "Thanks," she whispered.
"Ahem! Eat first," Dylan said, changing the subject as he brought the food to the table near the sofa. He scooped Ember into his arms effortlessly and carried her to the sofa. Once she was seated, he started setting up the meal. "Let's eat," he said, handing her a bowl.
When Ember reached for it, he stopped her. "Let me feed you," he offered with a teasing grin.
"My leg is injured, not my hands," Ember countered, playfully.
Dylan pouted dramatically, turning his face away like a child who wasn't getting his way. Ember had to suppress a laugh as she thought, Now he's copying my angry face!
"Ahem! Ahem! Baby, my hands aren't washed yet," Ember said, pretending to be serious. "How am I supposed to eat with dirty hands? Can you help me with that?" She flashed him a playful smile.
He raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Didn't you just say your hands aren't injured? You can feed yourself."
"Okay, if you don't want to feed me, I'll go wash them," Ember replied, pretending to stand up.
Before she could even rise, Dylan grabbed her hand and gently pushed her back down, pulling her onto his lap instead. Ember's breath caught as he held her there, refusing to meet her eyes. "Let me feed you," he said softly, his playful tone giving way to something more tender.
Without looking at her, he picked up the spoon and blew gently on the soup to cool it. Ember's heart raced as she watched him, her eyes unable to leave his face.
Ember couldn't take her eyes off his lips as he gently blew on the soup. Dylan called her name, but she was lost in her thoughts, mesmerized by the way his lips moved. He patted her hair softly, pulling her back into reality. Dylan lifted a spoonful of soup toward her, feeding her tenderly. Ember paused and, with a playful smile, asked him if he wasn't hungry since he was only focused on feeding her.
He reassured her with a chuckle, promising that he would eat after he was done taking care of her. But Ember wasn't satisfied. With a lighthearted determination, she took the spoon and bowl from him, offering him a scoop instead. They shared a warm, intimate moment, smiling softly at each other.
When they finished eating, Ember noticed a small bit of soup on Dylan's face. Without thinking, she reached out to wipe it away, but he gently caught her hand, their eyes locking in the most electrifying way. The air between them thickened, and before Ember could fully process it, Dylan leaned in, capturing her lips in a delicate, soft kiss.
This time, Ember didn't resist. She kissed him back, their connection growing deeper. He pulled away briefly, just enough to give her a breath of air, then kissed her again, allowing her space to breathe between their closeness. Their intimate moment was cut short when Dylan's phone rang, the name "Emir" flashing on the screen, pulling them both back into the present.
When Dylan saw that the call was from Emir and sensed where things were headed between him and Ember, he stopped and told her that it was important. He quickly moved out to take the call, leaving Ember alone, rushing to the balcony to get some fresh air. He didn't want to make the same mistake again.
Meanwhile, Ember lay on the sofa, still reeling from that kiss. She buried her face into the pillow, trying to hide her embarrassment.
Dylan dialed Emir again to hear what he had to say. Emir answered, "Hey Dylan, I've been calling you for a while, but you're not picking up. What are you up to? Don't tell me I'm interrupting some quality time with Ember, huh?"
"When are you going to stop your teasing and just tell me why you're calling?" Dylan asked, rolling his eyes.
"You know I'm going back to Turkey for my birthday on the 23rd of September, and I want to finish that photoshoot we started. The last scene is still waiting. If you're free tomorrow, can you stop by so we can wrap it up?" Emir asked.
"Alright, I'm free. Let me know the details," Dylan replied. Emir chuckled and said, "Oh, my lovely friend, I knew you'd make time for me!"
"Stop it. Bye, Emir," Dylan said with a grin. They exchanged quick goodbyes before Dylan hung up the phone.
When Dylan returned, he found Ember still lying on the sofa, her face hidden in the pillow. Smiling, he gently pulled the pillow away and, with a playful smile, said, "Why don't I take you somewhere fun?" Ember, surprised, glanced at her sore foot.
Without hesitation, Dylan scooped her up into his arms and carried her to a small room. "Wow, you have your own mini theater at home. That's amazing," Ember exclaimed, looking around in awe.
"Yeah," Dylan replied, "I don't go out much, and my parents, who are in the entertainment industry, built this for themselves."
"Wait, so your parents are actors too?" Ember asked, intrigued.
"You could say that," Dylan replied with a smile.
"Where are they now?" she asked curiously.
"I'm not exactly sure, but I know they're on vacation," he said, lowering his voice to a playful whisper, "If they were here, they'd probably be wandering around, spying on us."
They both laughed before Dylan asked, "So, what do you want to watch?"
Dylan had been expecting Ember to choose a romantic film, hoping they could share some tender moments together. But when she excitedly chose a horror movie instead, it shattered his little dream of a romantic date with her. Still, he went along with it, trying to hide his disappointment.
They settled in to watch the movie, but it didn't take long for Dylan to start sweating nervously. At one particularly scary scene, a scream in the movie startled him so much that he leaped from his chair, yelling in fright.
Ember immediately stopped the movie, turning on the lights and grabbing Dylan's hand, gently patting it to calm him down. She looked at his flushed, panicked face and pulled him into a tight hug. Once his heartbeat steadied, she pulled back and noticed how red his ears had turned. Embarrassed, Dylan averted his gaze.
"I'm sorry," Ember said softly. "You should've told me you get scared during horror movies. I wouldn't have picked one." She handed him a glass of water, which he gratefully accepted.
After he calmed down, Ember thought of a solution. Smiling, she played a light-hearted cartoon on the screen, a trick she'd used for her younger brother when he got scared. She hoped it would do the same for Dylan.
At first, Dylan was embarrassed, but soon he was watching the cartoon like a child, completely engrossed. Ember couldn't help but laugh at his adorable, childish side. Time passed quickly, and before they knew it, it was night. Ember had fallen asleep, her head resting on the armrest as Dylan continued watching the screen.
Seeing her asleep, Dylan gently picked her up and carried her to her bedroom, tucking her under the blankets. As he was about to leave, Ember stirred, waking briefly. She reached out, holding his hand and whispering, "Stay here... You'll be scared alone."
She fell asleep again, leaving Dylan both surprised and touched. Though he was shocked by her words, he knew she was right—he'd likely have nightmares. So, for the first time, Dylan and Ember shared the same bed, falling asleep side by side.